The present invention relates generally to weather stripping for motor vehicles and more particularly to weather stripping having a magnetic sealing surface.
Numerous types of weather stripping have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to seal spaces between objects. Weather stripping on automobiles needs to be tightly compressed to eliminate leakage, e.g., due to rain or washing, and to minimize noise due to air entering the vehicle through small gaps. To obtain a sufficient degree of compression, a high degree of force is generally needed to close the automobile door. This results in a high slamming force for closing as well as a high force for opening due to friction on the latching system. It would therefore be desirable to provide improved weather stripping to improve the ergonomics of vehicle door operation by reducing the force needed for opening and closing vehicle doors.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a weather strip that provides a sealing engagement between an opening in a vehicle and a vehicle door, or other closing member, and that reduces the force needed for opening and closing the door. By reducing the force needed to close the door, the need to slam the door is eliminated and closing noise is reduced.
The present invention provides a weather strip for use on a vehicle comprising an engaging portion for engaging a portion of the vehicle defined peripherally about an opening provided on the vehicle and a weather strip body comprising a compressible portion and a magnetic sealing portion. The magnetic sealing portion provides a seal acting in a direction projecting toward a member operatively attached to the vehicle for closing the opening, wherein the magnetic sealing portion and the closing member are magnetically attractive so as to provide a sealing interference between the magnetic sealing portion and the closing member when the weather strip is installed on the vehicle and the closing member closes the opening.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a weather strip for use on a vehicle comprising an engaging portion for engaging a closing member, the closing member operatively attached to the vehicle for closing an opening provided on the vehicle opening, and a weather strip body comprising a compressible portion and a magnetic sealing portion. The magnetic sealing portion provides a seal acting in a direction projecting toward a portion of the vehicle defined peripherally about the opening, wherein the magnetic sealing portion and the portion of the vehicle defined peripherally about the opening are magnetically attractive so as to provide a sealing interference between the magnetic sealing portion and the portion of the vehicle defined peripherally about the opening when the weather strip is installed on the vehicle and the closing member closes the opening.
The magnetically attraction between the sealing surfaces provides an airtight and watertight seal without requiring a high compression force, thus allowing the use of a weather strip that is more readily compressible than conventional vehicle weather strips. Accordingly, the weather strip may thus be produced to have an ease of compressibility so as to eliminate the need to slam the door. Furthermore, reducing the compression force reduces the force needed to operate door latches or other actuators and also allows smaller door latches or actuators to be employed in the manufacture of the vehicle.
In still a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for providing a sealing engagement employing the magnetic weather strip according to the present invention.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.